Simon_Mackay
04-04-2005, 10:18 PM
Hi all!
Will there be a standard to permit one to authenticate Wi-Fi non-computer devices like VoWLAN phones, WiPICS wireless digital-camera links and the like (which don't have Web browsers) into commercial hotspots?
As we have seen through the WiFi Planet news, there is a trickle of non-computer devices that can become member of WiFi networks but this will become a flood as more manufacturers of these devices consider building in support for the family of IEEE 802.11 standards in these devices. It also includes use of WiFi technologies for automotive applications where, for example, one could pull in "Podcasted" content from a server computer i.e. a laptop; bring in and play Internet radio streams via their car-audio system, or update satellite navigation information in their vehicle using the WiFi hotspot they are parked outside.
The local hotspot or hotzone WiFi LAN could then be considered a "bearer" for such data traffic.
Issues that will have to be sorted include authenticating devices to the AP and integrating them as part of the accounting arrangement used as part of the hotspot's operations. It will also have to include support for situations where two or more devices need to transfer data between each other via the AP such as use of the WiPICS wireless digital-camera tether to dump just-taken pictures straight to a Centrino laptop for immediate review as part of a school photography session. This is important where wireless hotspots are set up to prohibit machine-to-machine data transfer for customer security.
With regards,
Simon Mackay
Will there be a standard to permit one to authenticate Wi-Fi non-computer devices like VoWLAN phones, WiPICS wireless digital-camera links and the like (which don't have Web browsers) into commercial hotspots?
As we have seen through the WiFi Planet news, there is a trickle of non-computer devices that can become member of WiFi networks but this will become a flood as more manufacturers of these devices consider building in support for the family of IEEE 802.11 standards in these devices. It also includes use of WiFi technologies for automotive applications where, for example, one could pull in "Podcasted" content from a server computer i.e. a laptop; bring in and play Internet radio streams via their car-audio system, or update satellite navigation information in their vehicle using the WiFi hotspot they are parked outside.
The local hotspot or hotzone WiFi LAN could then be considered a "bearer" for such data traffic.
Issues that will have to be sorted include authenticating devices to the AP and integrating them as part of the accounting arrangement used as part of the hotspot's operations. It will also have to include support for situations where two or more devices need to transfer data between each other via the AP such as use of the WiPICS wireless digital-camera tether to dump just-taken pictures straight to a Centrino laptop for immediate review as part of a school photography session. This is important where wireless hotspots are set up to prohibit machine-to-machine data transfer for customer security.
With regards,
Simon Mackay